Pioneer - one who goes before, preparing the way to follow.

Captain James Brown

On this great pioneer heritage day I would like to share some of my pioneer heritage. I have a great heritage! The first I would like to share that I know quite a bit about is James Brown. James was living in North Carolina in 1834 when Mormon missionaries found him and showed him a Book of Mormon. Such a fire burned within him that he knew without a doubt that it was true and became a convert to the Mormon faith. He then knew he could not stay in North Carolina because he felt he had to move westward. He eventually came to Nauvoo when there were only about 5,000 people living there. He and his family lived in Nauvoo, helping build the temple and the city until 1846. With the rest of the Mormons, James and his family left Nauvoo in the winter of 1846. While in Winter Quarters, the U.S. declared war on Mexico. It was here that James volunteered and was made Captain of Company C of the Mormon Battalion. He marched for 2,000 miles to California and eventually back to the Utah territory arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on July 29, 1847 - 5 days after Brigham Young. In Utah, he purchased 200,000 acres of land north of Salt Lake and established a city there. He called it Brownsville. He gave all of this land, except 380 acres, to the Mormon colonists, who had been driven out of Illinois and other parts of Missouri. He was declared as the most liberal man that ever came to the state of Utah. James served as the first Bishop and a counselor in the first Stake presidency. Brownsville was eventually renamed Ogden. James was my great great grandfather.


This is a monument for James Brown. It is located in Ogden.

I am very grateful for the sacrifices (which were very many) that all of my ancestors made on my behalf. I am grateful for those missionaries that left their families and homes to go out and spread the gospel. I am also grateful that my ancestors were in tune enough to accept the gospel, because without it, I'm not sure where I would be this day. Anyway, I am proud of my pioneer heritage and I wish everyone a Happy Pioneer Day!! And remember, you too can be a pioneer for your future generations.